ELAINE LESSIG I live in the quaint river town of Clinton, New Jersey in the rolling hills between the Somerset Hills Kennel Club and Bucks County Kennel Club show sites. My world beyond dogs has always included antiquing, interior design and fashion. Among my treasures is an exten- sive collection of vintage clothing and hats, which is displayed in my costume room. Traversing the nearby rolling hills on foot and working out regularly occupy my time too. I have had Cavalier King Charles Spaniels since 1987. I began showing them in AKC and The Cavalier King Charles Spaniel Club, USA (the breed’s registry prior to recognition in 1996) in 1988. In 1996, I attained champion judging sta- tus with the Cavalier King Charles Spaniel Club. In 1999, I became the first breeder judge to receive AKC judging approval with Cavaliers as a first breed and am honored to judge the Sporting, Toy and Non-Sporting groups. My husband, Dr. Marvin Lessig, and I have been married 49 years; we have had pleasure of sharing our lives with the “Roi L” Cavaliers. THE SPORT OF THE NON-SPORTING GROUP Once upon a time, long, long ago, dog shows were spirited events. Beginning in Victorian times, organized field events for gun (Sporting) dogs were leisure activities for the gentry in the countryside. It was the dog shows, however, which attracted large numbers of exhibitors and spectators to the urban centers where they were held. Their popularity grew. As it did, exhibitors with breeds that were “not sporting dogs” wanted to participate. There begins the designation “non-sporting”. It was a way to group all the other breeds. When breeds were further grouped as Hounds, Working, Terriers, Toys and finally Herd- ing, the Non-Sporting group continued to be that group that held all the other recognized breeds. The Non-Sporting group continues to include a broad assortment of breeds. Much like a great box of chocolates or the shops on Madison Avenue or Rodeo Drive, the Non- Sporting group offers a wide variety of delights for every dog lover. Many present day buzz words like “global”, “diverse” and “complex” describe the Non-Sporting group as it was and remains. They come from all over the world, share no com- mon ancestors and are all different. This is the group that mirrors our world. Change is as much a dynamic of the dog world as it is in any other part of life. Some years there are strong contenders in some groups and not in others. What makes this group
particularly exciting is that the door is wide open for any of the breeds. Who will show their heart out, be in top condi- tion and make it out of the breed competition? Male or female, coated or not, the best dog wins in my ring. All of us who breed, show, judge or simply love the world of purebred dogs recognize that change comes to us all. We are challenged by animal rights activists who disapprove of what we do. We are challenged by economic realities that make it difficult to find the time and money to pursue our passion. We are challenged by the difficulties we encounter in our efforts to breed beautiful, healthy dog of excellent temperament. Yet, we soldier on, gathering strength along the way. As a judge, one of my greatest pleasures is to welcome newcomers when they enter the ring. We all start some- where. How easy it is to be nice. We can’t all win, but we can have a good experience which makes us enter again and again until we do. LANI MCKENNON
I live in the Los Angeles area and am a real estate broker. My original breed was the Keeshond, I got my first one in December 1972 and my first Papillon in October 1983. After many handling classes, dog shows, matches and Junior Handling with my daughters, I started judging Keeshonden in 1993 and Papil- lons in 1996. I love every minute and now
judge the Non-Sporting group, the Toy group, miscellaneous, all-breed juniors and Best in Show. I also judge ARBA, ASCA and IABCA.
DONNELLE RICHARDS
I live in Gilroy, California. My family bred and showed Samoyeds. My very first dog was a Cocker Spaniel. I started showing dogs as a young girl in junior showmanship. My very first dog was a Cocker Spaniel. My father was a professional dog handler in Spokane, Washington. I fell in love with a Pug. I got my first Pug dog in 1965 and soon added a
S how S ight M agazine , J une 2017 • 201
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